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HSK 3 · Chapter 4 · 768 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/heroes-over-warm-wine-three-kingdoms-easy-chinese-4

煮酒论英雄

Heroes Over Warm Wine

Name: ________________ Date: ________

很hěn多duō年nián过去guòqù了le。吕布lǚbù已经yǐjīng死sǐ在zài了le曹操cáocāo的de手里shǒuli。刘备liúbèi有yǒu过guo自己zìjǐ的de城chéng，可是kěshì也yě丢diū了le，只好zhíhǎo跟着gēnzhe曹操cáocāo，住zhù在zài许昌xǔchāng。曹操cáocāo对duì他tā很hěn好hǎo，可是kěshì一直yìzhí让ràng人rén看kàn着zhe他tā。

刘备liúbèi有yǒu一yí件jiàn事shì，别人biérén都dōu不bù知道zhīdào：皇帝huángdì不bù喜欢xǐhuan曹操cáocāo，偷偷tōutōu写xiě了le一yì封fēng信xìn，想xiǎng找zhǎo人rén一起yìqǐ杀shā了le他tā。刘备liúbèi也yě在zài信xìn上shàng写xiě了le自己zìjǐ的de名字míngzi。

所以suóyǐ，刘备liúbèi每天měitiān都dōu在zài家里jiālǐ种菜zhòngcài，好像hǎoxiàng什么shénme事shì也yě不想bùxiǎng做zuò。关羽guānyǔ和hé张飞zhāngfēi不bù明白míngbai：“外面wàimiàn这么zhème乱luàn，你nǐ怎么zěnme天天tiāntiān种菜zhòngcài？”刘备liúbèi只zhǐ说shuō：“这个zhège你们nǐmen不bù懂dǒng。”

有yǒu一天yìtiān，关羽guānyǔ和hé张飞zhāngfēi都dōu不bú在家zàijiā。曹操cáocāo的de人rén突然tūrán来lái了le：“我们wǒmen丞相chéngxiàng请qǐng您nín马上mǎshàng过去guòqù！”刘备liúbèi心里xīnlǐ一yí跳tiào，就jiù跟着gēnzhe去qù了le。

曹操cáocāo一yí见jiàn他tā，就jiù笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“你nǐ在家zàijiā做zuò的de好hǎo大事dàshì！”刘备liúbèi的de脸liǎn一下子yíxiàzi就jiù变biàn了le。曹操cáocāo带dài着zhe他tā走zǒu到dào后面hòumiàn的de花园huāyuán里li：“你nǐ学xué种菜zhòngcài，不bù容易róngyì吧ba！”刘备liúbèi这zhè才cái放心fàngxīn了le。

曹操cáocāo说shuō：“我wǒ刚才gāngcái看见kànjiàn树shù上shàng的de梅子méizi还是háishi青qīng的de，就jiù想起xiángqǐ了le去年qùnián的de一yí件jiàn事shì。那nà时候shíhou我wǒ带dài着zhe人rén走路zǒulù，没有méiyǒu水shuǐ喝hē，大家dàjiā都dōu渴kě得de不行bùxíng。我wǒ就jiù说shuō：‘再zài往wǎng前qián走zǒu，就jiù有yǒu很hěn多duō梅子méizi！’大家dàjiā一yì想到xiǎngdào梅子méizi，嘴zuǐ里li就jiù有yǒu了le水shuǐ，也yě就jiù不bù渴kě了le。今天jīntiān又yòu看到kàndào它们tāmen，还有háiyǒu热rè酒jiǔ，所以suóyǐ请qǐng你nǐ来lái一起yìqǐ喝hē。”

两liǎng个gè人rén坐zuò了le下来xiàlái，桌子zhuōzi上shàng放fàng着zhe梅子méizi，还有háiyǒu热rè好hǎo的de酒jiǔ。喝hē着zhe喝hē着zhe，外面wàimiàn好像hǎoxiàng要yào下xià大雨dàyǔ了le。曹操cáocāo问wèn：“你nǐ去qù过guo很hěn多duō地方dìfang，你nǐ说说shuōshuo，现在xiànzài谁shéi是shì英雄yīngxióng？”

刘备liúbèi说shuō：“袁术yuánshù有yǒu很hěn多duō人rén，也yě有yǒu很hěn多duō钱qián，他tā怎么样zěnmeyàng？”曹操cáocāo笑xiào了le：“他tā？我wǒ早晚záowǎn会huì抓住zhuāzhù他tā。”刘备liúbèi又yòu说shuō：“袁绍yuánshào呢ne？”曹操cáocāo说shuō：“袁绍yuánshào看起来kànqilai很hěn厉害lìhai，其实qíshí胆子dǎnzi很hěn小xiǎo。做zuò大事dàshì的de时候shíhou，他tā怕死pàsǐ；看到kàndào一点yìdiǎn小xiǎo好处hǎochù，他tā又yòu什么shénme都dōu不怕búpà了le。这种zhèzhǒng人rén不行bùxíng。”刘备liúbèi又yòu说shuō了le好几háojǐ个gè人rén，曹操cáocāo都dōu笑xiào了le：“这些zhèxiē人rén，算suàn什么shénme英雄yīngxióng！”

刘备liúbèi问wèn：“那nà谁shéi才cái是shì英雄yīngxióng呢ne？”曹操cáocāo用yòng手shǒu先xiān指zhǐ刘备liúbèi，再zài指zhǐ自己zìjǐ，说shuō：“现在xiànzài天下tiānxià的de英雄yīngxióng，只有zhíyǒu你nǐ和hé我wǒ两liǎng个gè人rén！”

刘备liúbèi一yì听tīng，手里shǒuli的de筷子kuàizi“啪pā”的de一声yìshēng掉diào在zài了le地上dìshang。正在zhèngzài这时zhèshí，外面wàimiàn打雷dǎléi了le，声音shēngyīn非常fēicháng大dà。刘备liúbèi慢慢mànmàn地de捡起jiánqǐ筷子kuàizi，说shuō：“这zhè雷léi真zhēn大dà，吓xià了le我wǒ一yí跳tiào。”曹操cáocāo笑xiào了le：“男人nánrén也yě怕pà打雷dǎléi吗ma？”刘备liúbèi说shuō：“以前yǐqián很hěn有名yǒumíng的de人rén，听到tīngdào这样zhèyàng的de声音shēngyīn也yě会huì害怕hàipà，我wǒ怎么zěnme能néng不怕búpà呢ne？”曹操cáocāo听tīng了le，就jiù不再búzài怀疑huáiyí他tā了le。

这时zhèshí，关羽guānyǔ和hé张飞zhāngfēi拿ná着zhe剑jiàn跑pǎo了le进来jìnlai。他们tāmen听说tīngshuō大哥dàgē被bèi曹操cáocāo叫jiào走zǒu了le，怕pà他tā出事chūshì，马上mǎshàng就jiù跑pǎo来lái了le。曹操cáocāo问wèn：“你们nǐmen来lái干什么gànshénme？”关羽guānyǔ说shuō：“我们wǒmen来lái给gěi大家dàjiā舞剑wǔjiàn，让ràng大家dàjiā笑xiào一yí笑xiào。”曹操cáocāo大笑dàxiào，也yě给gěi了le他们tāmen酒jiǔ。

回家huíjiā的de路上lùshang，刘备liúbèi心里xīnlǐ很hěn明白míngbai：曹操cáocāo这zhè个gè人rén太tài聪明cōngmíng了le，他tā不能bùnéng再zài在zài曹操cáocāo身边shēnbiān了le。他tā一定yídìng要yào想xiǎng办法bànfǎ离开líkāi。可是kěshì这zhè一yì走zǒu，三sān兄弟xiōngdì就要jiùyào分开fēnkāi了le。

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
可是kěshìbut; however
丢diūto throw; to toss
一直yìzhíall along; continuously; straight (ahead)
别人biérénother people; others; someone else
封fēngclassifier for letters
信xìnletter
好像hǎoxiàngseem; appear to be; as if
明白míngbaito understand; to realize
突然tūránsuddenly; abruptly; sudden; unexpected
马上mǎshàngright away; immediately
心里xīnlǐin one's heart; in one's mind
跳tiàoto jump; to leap

Lesson plan: 45 minutes (for the teacher)

HSK 3 · Heroes Over Warm Wine. By the end, students can read it aloud, say what it is about and use 可是 and 丢 in sentences of their own.

  1. Warm-up 5 min

    Write 煮酒论英雄 on the board. Ask what the class thinks it is about, then give the English: “Heroes Over Warm Wine”.

  2. Key words 10 min

    Teach 可是 (kěshì, but; however), 丢 (diū, to throw; to toss), 一直 (yìzhí, all along; continuously; straight (ahead)), 别人 (biérén, other people; others; someone else), 封 (fēng, classifier for letters), 信 (xìn, letter). Say each one, the class says it back, then ask for its meaning with the word covered. The rest are in the handout’s table.

  3. Listen 10 min

    Play it read aloud from mandarinthewild.com/library/read/heroes-over-warm-wine-three-kingdoms-easy-chinese-4: once with the text face down, once reading along. Students tap any word there for its meaning.

  4. Read and check 10 min

    Students read it alone, then tell a partner in two sentences of Chinese what it says.

  5. Use it 10 min

    In pairs, each student writes two sentences of their own, one with 可是 and one with 丢, and reads one to the class.

Homework. Students read it again at home and Review its words. Put it in a free class (mandarinthewild.com/teachers/class) and you see who read it.

English (for the teacher)

Many years went by. Lü Bu was dead now, killed by Cao Cao. Liu Bei had once had a city of his own, but he had lost it, and now he had no choice but to follow Cao Cao and live in Xuchang. Cao Cao treated him well, but always had someone watching him.

Liu Bei had a secret nobody knew: the emperor hated Cao Cao and had secretly written a letter, looking for men to join in killing him. Liu Bei had signed his own name on that letter too.

So every day Liu Bei stayed at home growing vegetables, as if he had no wish to do anything at all. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei didn't understand: "The world out there is in chaos, and you grow vegetables every day?" All Liu Bei would say was: "You two don't understand."

One day, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were both out. Suddenly Cao Cao's men arrived: "Our Chancellor asks you to come at once!" Liu Bei's heart jumped, and he went with them.

The moment Cao Cao saw him, he said with a smile: "What great things you've been doing at home!" Liu Bei's face changed at once. Cao Cao led him into the garden at the back: "Learning to grow vegetables can't be easy!" Only then did Liu Bei relax.

Cao Cao said: "Just now I saw the plums on the tree were still green, and I remembered something from last year. I was marching with my men, we had no water, and everyone was dying of thirst. So I said: 'Keep going, and there'll be lots of plums ahead!' The moment they thought of plums, their mouths watered, and they weren't thirsty any more. Today I saw them again, and there's warm wine too, so I asked you over for a drink."

The two of them sat down; on the table were plums and warmed wine. As they drank, it began to look like heavy rain outside. Cao Cao asked: "You've been to many places. Tell me, who are the heroes today?"

Liu Bei said: "Yuan Shu has plenty of men and plenty of money. What about him?" Cao Cao laughed: "Him? I'll catch him sooner or later." Liu Bei said: "What about Yuan Shao?" Cao Cao said: "Yuan Shao looks fierce, but he's really a coward. When there's something big to do, he's afraid to die; when he sees a little profit, suddenly he's afraid of nothing. That kind of man won't do." Liu Bei named several more, and Cao Cao laughed at them all: "Those men? Heroes?"

Liu Bei asked: "Then who is a hero?" Cao Cao pointed first at Liu Bei and then at himself, and said: "The only heroes in the world today are you and I!"

At these words, the chopsticks fell from Liu Bei's hand and clattered to the ground. At that very moment there was a clap of thunder outside, very loud. Liu Bei slowly picked up his chopsticks and said: "What a thunderclap. It gave me a fright." Cao Cao laughed: "A grown man, afraid of thunder?" Liu Bei said: "Even great men of old were afraid when they heard a sound like that. How could I not be?" When Cao Cao heard this, he stopped suspecting him.

Just then Guan Yu and Zhang Fei came running in with swords in their hands. They had heard their brother had been called away by Cao Cao, and afraid something had happened to him, they had run straight there. Cao Cao asked: "What have you come for?" Guan Yu said: "We've come to do a sword dance for everyone, to give you all a laugh." Cao Cao roared with laughter and gave them wine too.

On the way home, Liu Bei knew it clearly: Cao Cao was far too clever, and he could not stay at Cao Cao's side any longer. He had to find a way to get away. But once he left, the three brothers would be torn apart.